Sudanese refugees in Accra resist relocation

Sudanese refugees seeking shelter at the premises of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) in Accra are resisting moves by the Police to relocate them.

Hundreds of refugees escaped the civil war in Sudan’s western Darfur region and trekked about 3,000 km to seek asylum in Ghana.

The refugees, numbering about seventy, have been pitching camp at the premises since November last year.

Police personnel went to the UNHCR office this morning [Thursday] to evict them but were met with stiff resistance.

A spokesperson for the Refugees, Mohammed Abdul Rahman told Citi News they will only relocate when they have an assurance from authorities at the UNHCR office that their welfare will be guaranteed at their next location.

“Some refugees are living in the Western Region and some are living in Accra. In the camp, we do not have job opportunities and we do not have food supply. We are asking them to supply us food and provide jobs for our children. We have health challenges. We do not have money. The UNCR is responsible for meeting our demands so we are not moving from here until we see how they are going to cover our demands.”

There have been a series of demonstrations by refugees in Ghana who have been demanding better conditions from the UNHCR during their stay in the country.

In December 2017, some Liberian refugees picketed at the premises of the UNHCR, demanding relief packages and relocation to different countries following a demolition exercise at the Budumburam camp in the Central Region, where they previously lived.

The demolition, which displaced many refugees, was carried out by the Gomoa Chiefs of the Central Region, on whose land the camp was built to host the Liberians there during the civil war in Liberia.

Several years after peace was restored in Liberia, the Liberians continue to live in the camp with some integrated through marriage to Ghanaians.

Ghana currently hosts about 13,000 refugees, most of whom are Ivorians.